Presidency confirms sack of Osinbajo’s Aides, says 35 people were removed 

The Presidency has confirmed the sack of some political appointees in the office of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, gave reasons for the action in a statement on Friday.

The statement came amid reports that dozens of persons appointed in the office of the Vice President have been relieved of their duties.

The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was reported to have distributed letters to the affected aides on Wednesday.

Shehu however confirmed to Channels Television during an interview on Politics Today on Friday that a total of 35 people were removed from the office of the Vice President

Professor Osinbajo is said to have scores of aides deployed in strategic positions in government such as the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Barely two days after the news of the sack surfaced, Mr Shehu confirmed that there has been “a streamlining of staff” going on for a while.

The President, according to him, had always had fewer staff than the Vice President and there were always plans to reduce the number of staff at the Aso Villa.

The presidential aide said, “The Presidency wishes to confirm that there is, on-going, an unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising from which a number of political appointments have either been revoked or not renewed in the second term.”

Shehu explained that the exercise to relieve the appointees of their duties was in line with the directive of the President, adding that a number of political appointees among the few that served in President Muhammadu Buhari’s office were not returned for the second term.

According to him, the exercise aims to streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and reduce the cost of running the present administration.

“The office of the Vice President, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally been shed of a number of such appointees.

“In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to save taxpayer money and deliver needed service to the public,” the presidential aide added.

He, however, denied reports of a rift between the President and the Vice President, stressing that the exercise was not targeted to undermine Professor Osinbajo’s office.